Justified by Faith Alone

Forgiveness is one the most difficult situations in our life's journey, to receive and to give. Most of our marital problems stem from an unwillingness to forgive and to be forgiven.

Acceptance of God's forgiveness for our past sins and waywardness, is also one of the most difficult situations we are faced with, there is within us, this mindset that says I must somehow have a part to play in this. In essence says I will work out my own salvation, how be it with God's help   

We can only know God’s blessing when we acknowledge our own unworthiness, before a holy and just God. We have to remove “self” off the throne and allow God to have his rightful place in our lives.

 

Self-justification centres upon the “me” “I have the right “is the by-word of this present generation, everything centres on the individual.

Nature knows no forgiveness and shows no mercy, and if we had no other source of information we should never discover the fact that God pardons sinners. Man then needs a written revelation from God.

The true presentation of his mercy and love can only be seen in his forgiveness, as seen through the sacred Scriptures, and ultimately in His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, who fully met God's just requirement. For sin.

The moment we believe in the saving power of the gospel (Rom.10:17) we receive the Spirit (Gal.3:2) we are saved not through keeping law, or through works, “but only by faith”.

Because of the sinful corruption of unregenerate man, the law was powerless to produce righteousness (Gal.3:21). We cannot make ourselves righteous before God. The penalty for sin was fully met by Christ on the cross; His righteousness was imputed to the believer, nothing more can be added

Justification by faith has always been the only way of salvation, In the O.T.  Justification is clearly seen as a saving faith (Gen.15:6)

Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. “Credited” is used as a legal and also a financial setting, meaning “to take something that belongs to someone else and credit to another’s account” It is a one-sided transaction

Through Christ, righteousness has been imputed to us (2Cor.5:19-21) “For he hath made him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”  

See  (Rom.3:26, 4:6 , 10:4  Phil. 3:9, James 2:23)

Imputation is the act of God, which He accounts righteousness to the believer in Christ, who has borne the believers sins.  Gen.15:6,

Philemon v17-19 perfectly illustrates “Imputation”

“Receive him as myself”,” Reckon to him my merit”, “If he hath wronged thee or oweth thee anything, put that on mine account”

“Reckon to me his demerit”

When we come to a realization of our sinfulness and our inability to reach God’s standard and we by “faith” accept God’s gift of salvation. It is to this awakening of faith; God does something essential to a person’s right standing before God.

He counts them as perfectly fulfilling all His requirements (righteousness) in this awakening faith they are united to Christ who is their righteousness. Justification therefore is not an event; it is a divine act whereby God declares the believer part of God’s family (Children of God)

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. This divine act of justification actually establishes the peace because in it God not just declare but determines our new identity.

The Lord Jesus in John 14 offers unconditional peace to those who would believe,

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you”

This verse in John 14.  The Lord Jesus offers a legacy of peace, a two edged peace.

“Peace I leave with you” refers to the result of His death for us on the cross, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

My peace I give unto you” refers to His indwelling, who is Peace.

The one He bequeathed as a legacy to all men: the testator died, and left in His will a perfect reconciliation between God and man, who are for all who are willing to avail them of it: The other is a gift which must be appropriated and used, or it will be ineffectual.

The order of these two varieties of peace is invariable – We must have peace with God before we can enjoy the peace of God.

We must receive the atonement with all its blessed comfort, before we can enter upon our heritage in Christ Jesus.

“Therefore, being justified by faith,

we have peace with God

 Through our Lord Jesus Christ”

Justification by faith alone

Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. “Credited” is used as a legal and also a financial setting, meaning “to take something that belongs to someone else and credit to another’s account”

It is a one-sided transaction.

God takes His own righteousness and credits it to Abraham and also          to all that believe, it is not through works but through faith

.God takes His own righteousness and credits it to Abraham and also to all that believe, it is not through works but through faith.

 

God’s provisions of sacrifice for Adam also for his wife did the LORD God makes coats of skins and clothed them (Gen. 3:20-21) Coats of skins, is a type of Christ, made unto us righteousness.  (1Cor. 1:30) a divinely provided garment, that the first sinners might be made fit for God’s presence.

The garments in Scripture is a symbol of righteousness. The basic provision of God’s salvation by grace through faith in Christ “the garments of Salvation” and “robe of righteousness”   (Isa. 61:10, Rom. 3:21)

The judgment of the believers works

(1Cor. 3:8-23)

The basis of the gospel  is Salvation from sin through Christ, Christ is the foundation. Building upon Him as the foundation is a metaphor for Christian service, which is only for  “born again believers”

 God here in the N.T. Scriptures offers to the lost, salvation; and for the faithful service of  

the saved rewards.

James Ch.2:14-20 cites the test of Good works, this is not in contradiction of Justification; but evidence of the “New life”  James has been charged with contradicting the doctrine of justification by faith as set forth by Paul  (Rom. 4:1-5). But the supposed contradiction is merely in words rather than in underlying truth.

For what James is saying in these verses is that the believer’s works is the outward evidence of a saved life. Whereas Paul uses the word “works” to denote the deeds of the unsaved man whereby he vainly hopes to gain acceptance with God.

Thus in their view of justification Paul and James complement each other. Paul stresses acceptance with God wholly by grace through faith, whereas James presents the continual evidence before men of the initial transaction.

Justification Defined.

(A).. The Righteousness of God. (Rom.3:21-30)

The righteousness of God is all that God demands and approves and is ultimately found in Christ Himself, who fully met in our place every requirement of the law.